Atriplex canescens var. laciniata
Caleb saltbush
(c) Bobby McCabe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bobby McCabe · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata (Caleb saltbush) is a native California shrub in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by deeply sharp-dentate wing margins on fruit bracts.
Caleb saltbush is a California native shrub found in western Transverse Ranges and desert regions excluding desert mountains in saline desert flats and alluvial fans at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to October, this plant produces pale green to whitish flowers with distinctive wing-like bracts. Growing 1 to 2 meters tall with spreading, grayish branches, it forms a rounded and open shrub structure. Its leaves are oblanceolate, 10 to 25 millimeters long, with tapered bases and obtuse tips, giving the plant a soft, silvery-green appearance. The fruit bracts are notable for their deeply sharp-toothed wings, measuring 6 to 12 millimeters across.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species; deeply sharp-dentate wing margins on fruit bracts are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Saline desert flats, alluvial fans
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura
Outside California: Nevada, Mexico
Bloom period
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata blooms Mar-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Artemisia: Atriplex leaves have bead-like scales; Artemisia leaves are finely divided and aromatic when crushed.; vs Ambrosia: Atriplex has simple scaly leaves; Ambrosia has deeply lobed or divided leaves with coarse hairs.; vs Extriplex: Atriplex has 3-5 calyx lobes on male flowers and two seed colors; Extriplex has exactly 4 lobes and uniform dark seeds.; vs Chenopodium: Atriplex has bead-like bladder hairs and paired fruit bracts; Chenopodium has mealy powder and calyx-enclosed fruits.; vs Eriogonum: Atriplex has scaly leaves and paired fruit bracts; Eriogonum has smooth leaves and papery flower tubes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Atriplex canescens var. laciniata native to California?
Yes. Atriplex canescens var. laciniata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Atriplex canescens var. laciniata bloom?
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata blooms Mar-Oct.
Where in California does Atriplex canescens var. laciniata grow?
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Atriplex canescens var. laciniata belong to?
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
What habitat does Atriplex canescens var. laciniata grow in?
Atriplex canescens var. laciniata grows in Saline desert flats, alluvial fans.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.